Composition header and tube plate for radiators



F. M. YOUNG 2,248,537

N HEADER AND TUBE PLATE FOR RADIATORS May 6, 1941.

CQMPOSITIO Filed March 14, 1958 INVENTOR FRED M YOU/V6 ATTOPNLY Patented May 6, 1941 COMPOSITION HEADER AND TUBE PLATE FOB BADIATORS Fred M. Young, Racine, Wis. Application March- 14, 1938, Serial No. 195,686 2 Claims. (01. 257-154) The present invention relates to means for permitting free and individual expansion and contraction of the tubes. 7

Radiator tubes are generally made from copper or a composition comprising a large percentage of copper. The walls are thin and fragile and tend to fracture at the point where they enter the metal tube plates because of vi bration and unequal expansion and contraction.

I provide tube plates of a rubber composition or an equivalent and vulcanize the tube ends in the composition plates or I provide suitable metal sleeves which are vulcanized to the composition into which the tube ends may be expanded; and when the headers and the tube plates are made integral of composition material, I provide screw threaded sleeves for the reception of the tubes and screw plugs.

- The art of producing mechanical rubber products or equivalents and of vulcanizing the sameto' metals, particularly brass and copper, has advanced to a point where the product is impervious to heat andother destructive agents.

In radiators having cast iron headers and metal tube plates and copper tubes, a destructive electrochemical action takes place because of dissimilar metals. My invention is designed to prevent electrolysis and provide tube plates or headers wherein the tubes are left free to expand and contract individually andwhercin tube vibrations pass into the composition tube platesand are absorbed thereby.

To theseand other useful ends the present invention resides in parts and combinations 7 thereof or their equivalents, and mode of operation, as will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a fractional sectional view of my preferred form of invention taken on iine l-l of Figure 2.

Pig. 2 is a fractional section taken on line 2-2 of Figure '1.

. P18. 3 is'a transverse sectional line 1-4 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a modification.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of a further modification.

view taken von As thus illustrated in Figures 1. 2 and 3' I provide composition tube plates Ill-ll having a number of tubes II, the ends being secured to the tube plates as will hereinafter appear and I preferably secure the tubes in the header plates as follows: Metal sleeves 9 have openings adapted to snugly receive the tube ends and are grooved on the outer surfaces as at 2! and suitably treated forming a surface suitable for being vulcanized into member ill, at the manufacturing plant. After the fins l2 have been positioned over the tubes, and bonded thereto, the tube ends are moved into the openings in'sleeves 5 and thenexpanded in the openings forming a 'complete core, after which header caps'l3 are placed into the position shown, and secured by means of metal straps l5 and bolts l6. It will be understood that openings in member III for bolts i6 are moulded into this member. Clearly, because of the nature of synthetic rubber, no gaskets will be needed. Header caps l3 are provided with screw threaded openings ll with which to make inlet and outlet pipe connections.

.Thus clearly in view of the flexible charae teristics of composition rubber or its equivalents, the tubes may expand and contract individually or in groups without injury and without injuring the tube plates.

In Figure 4, I illustrate a. header 20 which is cast integral of synthetic, rubber and wherein tubes H are cast and vulcanized into the header as at 22. When metal sleeves are not used for attaching the tubes to the headers, I preferably provide extensions. 23 so as to provide a longer surface for contact with the tubes. As illustrated in this figure, I provide a metal sleeve 26 in each'header which is roughened on its outer surface, as at 27 so as to form a suitable surface for contact with the rubber, the sleeve being plpethreaded as at 28. However this.

' member may be suppliedwith a hat outer surface suitable for a gesketed joint.

In Figure 5, I illustrate a header somewhat similar to the header illustrated in Figure 4. The tubes in this design are secured to the tube plates, as in Figure 3. In thisdesign, it is 'necessary to provide screw threaded openings in the outer surface of the header whereby a tool may be inserted for expanding the tubes'in sleeves 32.

I provide sleeves 3 which are roughened on their outer surfaces as at 35 with which to supply a suitable vulcanizing contact with the rubber and a pipe thread 36. These sleeves are positioned in axial alignment with the tubes. A screw plug is used for closing the openings in the sleeves. Thus it will be seen that I have provided means whereby the tubes may be sultably secured to the tube plates; that the tubes may expand and contract individually; and that after the tube plates or headers are completed, the tubes may be inserted into the metal sleeves and expanded in the usual manner.

5-, that the tube plates or the unitary headers may be manufactured at a rubber plant and the rest of the assembly completed at a heat ex- 7 changer manufacturing plant.

It will be understood that the material described as rubber. composition or an equivalen includes synthetic rubber and the like or It will be f seen in the design shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 2,240,687 an operating connection therebetween, a multiplicity of closely spaced fins through .which said tubes extend forming a heat exchange core, said headers being formed integrally of synthetic rubber, metal sleeves cast in and vulcanized to the tube plate of said headers and being adapted to receive the ends of said tubes, inlet or outlet sleeves in said headers being cast in and vulcanized thereto, sleeves cast in and vulcanized to the outsideedge 01. said headers each having re movable closures and being in alignment with a tube.

2. A heat exchanger of the class described, comprising spaced headers having relatively thick detechably secured tube plates made of synthetic rubber, a number of tubes forming an operating connection between said tube plates and a multiplicity of closely spaced fins through which said tubes extend, said'tube plates having sleeves vulcanized therein and being adapted to embrace the ends of said tubes, whereby said tubes may be inserted and expanded into their sleeves 'to thereby form liquid and gas tight metal joints.

i m M. YOUNG. 

